What Pc To Purchase For A Vista Upgrade

October 17, 2005|By Walter S. Mossberg The Wall Street Journal

It's time for my annual fall buyer's guide to desktop computers, and this fall, I'm going to focus on what kind of PC Windows buyers should be considering if they want to run Microsoft's next version of Windows, called Vista.

Vista, formerly known by its code name of Longhorn, is due out about a year from now.

Here's what a PC that can fully run Vista should contain:

Memory: It's likely Microsoft will suggest 512 megabytes of memory, or RAM, for Vista, but companies almost always understate such requirements. I strongly recommend at least one gigabyte of memory.

Video: The new Windows will be especially dependent on strong video. Many low-cost and midlevel PCs today use something called integrated graphics chips.

To make the most of Vista, you will need to shun this design and opt for a machine with "discrete" graphics -- a video card that's separate from the main board and has its own dedicated memory. Look for at least 64 megabytes of video RAM, preferably 128 megabytes.

Processor: I have always recommended avoiding spending extra dollars for the fastest processor, and that position still holds for Vista. A midrange Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon processor should be fine. Consider a "dual-core" processor that essentially combines two chips for added speed and power, though it's not a Vista requirement.

Another option worth considering is a processor capable of so-called 64-bit computing. This isn't necessary for Vista, but it's the wave of the future, and it will be much more powerful than today's computing, which relies on 32-bit processors.

Hard disk: Disk storage is already copious enough for Vista, and buying large amounts is cheap. I'd go for at least 160 gigabytes of hard-disk space, because Vista will offer easier ways to manage and create video, which eats up hard-disk capacity. Also, I'd suggest making sure the hard drive is fast. It should run at 7,200 revolutions per minute (RPM) and have a cache of two megabytes.

DVD drive: Vista will have much improved DVD recording for storing videos and for data backup. So, I suggest you get a PC with a fast, multiformat DVD recording drive.